


A Flicker of Doubt

by WhovianDream



Category: Original Work
Genre: Death, Gen, Parallel Universes, Physics, absolutely nothing fandom, but a story to make you think, quantum physics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 07:25:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1419561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhovianDream/pseuds/WhovianDream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You live in a world where quantum physics dictates. A world of parallel universes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Flicker of Doubt

**Author's Note:**

> A idea popped into my head as I was driving to work, so I decided to explore it. I realised that my head is a strange place indeed.
> 
> A story to stick in your mind.

You live in a world where quantum physics dictates. A world of parallel universes.

~

You drive to work along the same route almost every day. You have a routine and you stick to it. Your friends and colleagues joke that your life would be exactly the same in all possible parallel universes. You ignore them.

Parallel universes put your head in a whirl.

Physicists say the string of parallel universes is like two opposite mirrors, reflecting each other to create a tunnel of repetition. Except that in the parallel universes, each universe is slightly different. The closer ones will be almost exactly the same, except perhaps a particular fly flies in a different pattern. But as you go further and further out, the differences get bigger and bigger. Until anything could happen.

You love the idea of there being infinite worlds, where everything is possible. You are comforted by the fact that in at least one universe, you have a perfect life; that in at least one universe, your dreams really will come true. (You fervently hope it's this one).

But secretly, deep down, the idea of many universes scares you. Just a little bit. The idea that in any given universe, things could suddenly go wrong. The drink you almost knocked over really did fall. The leg you almost broke got totally crushed. The car that almost hit you actually did. Parallel universes mean that at any given point, at least one version of you is dying. Somewhere, a 'you' has just been wiped from existence, every second of every minute of every day. Constantly. Infinite versions of you screaming though spacetime.

You remember hearing once, that these deaths leave an echo in all of the universes. A pulse that vibrates through the cosmos. The echo from the further universes is so faint we don't notice it, but if you know where to look, you can sense the deaths in nearby universes. You do know where to look.

It is said that every time a song skips or a video flickers, it means a 'you' in a nearby world has flickered out of existence. The bigger the anomaly, the nearer the world. The more similar. The closer you were to the same fate. Only a few small differences separating you from that reality. They say that if the music ever stops, you should say your prayers.

Hospitals had to ban music and television in the end. The patients hated hearing the flickers and knowing that their time was almost up. It doesn't help that each person can only hear their own flickers; the people around have no idea how close someone may be to death. A silent scream in a bustling world. Enough to make anyone panic.

You dread the flickers. You've only heard a few in your lifetime, mostly smaller ones. The biggest one you remember is when you thought it would be a good idea to lean out of the window of a moving train. You managed to pull your head back in before the tunnel, but your music skipped horrendously and you just knew. Of course your parents shouted at you for being so stupid. But the flickers served a far more effective warning than any parent could give. You were very careful after that.

Recently you've heard a couple of small flickers, more than usual. You hope it doesn't mean anything. You have a big charity event at the weekend. You've agreed to do a skydive. The flickers generally mean that people take far fewer risks than they otherwise would, which means that daring charity events raise huge amounts of money. Dave at work pushed you into it. He told you that skydives were actually really safe. That you were far more likely to die in a car accident. You believed him.

As you drive, the car radio skips and flickers briefly.

Maybe you should try to get out of the event. Make an excuse. If you explain that you'd been having lots of flickers, they're sure to let you off.

The radio flickers again. Your heartbeat increases slightly.

Yes. Definitely a good idea to back out. You decide to call Dave as soon as you get to work. As you turn onto the main road, you reach over to turn off the radio. It's only making you nervous. You can feel your hand shaking as you press the button. Two flickers in quick succession can't be good.

You stop at a set of traffic lights and a car pulls up next to you, blaring music. You ignore it determinedly. But you still hear it flicker as you pull away. Almost a whole word is lost that time. A bad one.

Maybe you should call Dave now. Just to make sure. You glance up at a video advertisement screen. It is flickering steadily. You convince yourself it's just broken, but reach more hurriedly for your phone. A quick text will do, you can explain later.

As you straighten back up, phone in hand, you knock the radio button. Music blares out again, but you leave it. Better to call Dave, then it won't matter. The radio signal seems fuzzy.

Turning left, you flick through your contacts to find Dave's number. The radio has become a constant hiss of static. You make a mental note to re-tune it when you get to work.

You quickly type a message to let Dave know you won't be doing the skydive. As you type the last word, the radio music flickers on again, back to normal. You smile as you realise you've avoided the fate of your parallel selves.

You glance down to check the message before you hit send. The radio flickers again, once, twice, repeating the same word over and over.

The advertisement board is suddenly a mass of interference lines.

The music in nearby cars jars jaggedly against your ears.

You freeze in horror.

The radios go silent.

A long screech of tyres.

Your world goes black.


End file.
